Cruel Intentions
by Ravenous Silentside
Summary: *!!NOTICE!!* IN an AU world, where the dark thomas has gained access to the peaceful planet of zi, with intentions of not going back. This is were intentions have gone cruel. pls. R&R!!
1. Bleak Winter

Disclaimer: ***repeats all her disclaims on her previous stories*** :P  
  
Note: Yap ^-^ the title is not in Japanese because this happens to be the continuation to 'don't do this to me' Yes, Finally! By the way, It is ( Thomas x Raven x Karl pairing (BUT not exactly at that order) which means ***repeats the same statement regards yaoi from previous fics, and a lot of OT rants*** oh well here it goes..the first part is not what it seems---how I get Raven in the picture, I just don't know O_o  
  
**feels sleepy after eating too much fish fillet and slumped face down her vegetables**  
  
  
  
Cruel Intentions  
  
By RaVen0us  
  
'It wasn't a dead body' Raven thought decidedly. It was breathing.  
  
"It's alive, shadow." He said.  
  
Shadow sat down in the dirt, his glowing red eyes peering at the body with the unfocused look of a drunkard after a weekend binge. Which was the case. Raven could sympathize (somehow) with his companion, but unlike Shadow, his own lack of focus came from a horrendous case of just plain supplanted irritation.  
  
"You're on my way," Raven told the body coldly.  
  
The body stirred. A familiar dark blonde head reached up to push back a short cloth, revealing a lean face from which a pair of bloodshot green eyes peered at him unhappily. It's Lt. Thomas Schubaltz, and for some reason he seemed unfazed by Raven's presence. "This place is empty," he disagreed in a weary voice.  
  
"Only because I wasn't here. I am now. So it isn't empty, Go away."  
  
Thomas folded his tall length into a sitting position, removed the kerchief from his head to run his fingers through his wavy deep blonde tresses and squared his lean shoulders. He peered past Raven to see that he was alone, and curiously, without his feared Zoid. 'must he hiding it somewhere', but he didn't mind either knowing, in situations like this he should be calm, since with the sound of it, Raven seems like he's not a threat---for now. He sighed, getting to his feet reluctantly.  
  
"Well---" he said, looking at the almost broken down cabin where he had refuge for the snow storm. "---since you lived here---apparently---maybe you can tell me where to locate someone. I've been looking for two days---"  
  
"I know nothing about my neighbors." Raven cuts in abruptly,  
  
He regarded the youth for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Shadow. Apparently, answering sarcasm with sarcasm. "What in Zi's name is that?"  
  
"That." Raven said coldly, "Happens to be my dark organoid. You won't like to see it if it mobilize."  
  
There was a long uneasy silence between two enemies, staring icily at each other as the snow storm that had already subsided. Deciding to ignore the insult on his organoid, Raven asked, "How did you get up here?" He looked at Thomas up and down with intense scrutiny adding, "You look like you walked."  
  
Thomas glanced briefly down at himself, at his trousers, body protectors and clothes liberally coated with dust, then stared at him, ignoring his question. "Mind me what a hardened son of a bitch like you is doing here in the back of beyond?"  
  
Raven flinched, and his organoid shadow growled angrily at the deliberate insult. 'This was clearly sarcasm, he wants one then he'll get it' he thought. Looking up at him (something he didn't often have to do), a slow sardonic smile creased to the side of his cheeks, "I needed peace and quiet for my knitting."  
  
"Ha! Yeah right! YOU are enjoying your solitude knitting---" Thomas snapped, but then he stopped, since Raven turned and gone to get something beside his shelter. A moment later he was before him again, and Thomas took an involuntary step back.  
  
Raven slid two shells into the shotgun and closed the breech with a deadly snap. He held the gun negligently, the barrel pointed between Thomas' two legs.  
  
"I'll just get my Dibison to---" he murmured,  
  
"Do that." He said calmly.  
  
Raven is pleased with himself. The litenuant was sure up to his ass running like hell and scram before he can blast the damn thing straight to his 'family's jewels' right to kingdom come. Moments later, he hear a heavy thudding sound and saw the head of the Dibison by the mountain view, attempting to climb up the thickly snowed mountain.  
  
'He is going to use all his fire power to blast me off.' He thought, 'This is just getting exciting.'  
  
Raven does not need his zoid to take the Dibison down. Making use of the weather, he called for shadow---who in turn knowing his master's plan, create a giant snow ball that run downhill eventually leading into one big avalanche. Soon enough, the snow choked and buried the giant zoid, its firepower neutralized thoroughly by it.  
  
"Looks like he won't be coming back, shadow."  
  
*****  
  
Home  
  
Or at least for awhile. Staring at the cabin that has nothing but it's basic essentials, Raven has to scare off the tenants so he can have the place temporarily for his own. The area and the current weather is a good spot to hide, not to mention his genobreaker hidden just thickly among the woods behind the cabin. He didn't have to worry about the food supply, since there was a lot left by the previous owner. Canned beans, canned vegetables, canned meat, a lot of anything canned on ready to eat---except for the raw fish. Oh, and also some coffee.  
  
Grumbling, he snatched a canned meat from the shelf and knifed it open, and starts digging hungrily to its contents with one gloved hand. He hadn't eaten for days, and he doesn't mind his etiquette at all. After getting much of his strength back, he will resume his mission to take Flyheight down at all cost.  
  
There came some annoyed metallic grunt from Shadow who is a feet behind him. "What is it now? You are hungry?" he thought for a moment, then just eyeing his organoid with slight contempt. "I forgot, you don't eat like I do." He munched back at his food, and then spat some of it to the sink. 'The canned meat is starting to taste a little frozen,' he cursed, then without thinking he decided to cook. Absentmindedly, he grabbed the nearest apron he could find, tie it to his waist and get the canned meat to simmer in a thin frying pan over the stove. As he cooks it, the contents seems to shrink with the heat, and he added some canned vegetables and more meat--- he didn't care how it will taste like, he is just hungry, and by means he is going to eat a ton of it right now.  
  
Suddenly, the organoid diverted its attention to something else, hearing some sound coming from the other cabin door by the kitchenette, and quickly starts making angry hissing sounds and starts to walk away swiftly. Curiously and with caution, Raven followed, with a spatula in tow. Then he opened the door and padded out into the living room, nearly tripping over Shadow's tail, who looked up at him and cursed mildly again. He looked up at the door for a moment, then back at Shadow.  
  
"Some watch guard." He told his organoid  
  
Raven turned his sharp gaze to the cabin kitchenette door, the open front door, and the dusty blonde stranger leaning against the jamb, who was staring at him with some surprise.  
  
"W-e-e-ll," Thomas said, the world drawled out. "It's look like you are certainly making yourself domesticated."  
  
Raven felt an angry flush in his cheeks, frustrated to see the darn litenuant from the guardian force is still alive. He looked down and noticed that he was staring down at him with partial amusement, he forgot all about the apron and the spatula he is holding about. Worse, he realized the apron he was wearing is a pink frilly one. Raven gave himself a mental kick in the butt.  
  
"I thought I killed you already." Raven said irritatedly, trying to untie the pink apron.  
  
He smiled. "I came back,"  
  
There is a strange confidence and arrogance in Thomas' tone that seems a rather odd, and he finds it strangely interesting. 'Why not let him in? He might lead us to something important---especially to that Flyheight,' he thought.  
  
With a fake sigh, Raven padded around the low partition that divided kitchen from the living room, and poured a mug of coffee. Obviously, he had company for a while. He lifted his mug questioningly at the visitor.  
  
"Thank you." Thomas accepted reluctantly, wondering if there is anything that Raven might have added in his coffee, as he appeared to the other side of the partition. Raven poured another mug, looked at Thomas with inquiry and was told he took it black, then handed him the mug.  
  
"We got off the wrong foot," he told after an appreciative sip of the coffee, "I don't expect to find you here, and anyway, not yet a part of my mission objective."  
  
"Hmph. Not yet?" Raven said, looking up from his own mug, shadow grunted in agreement. "I swore that you are attempting to bring your useless zoid uphill. Tell me that is NOT a part of your mission objective."  
  
Thomas mumbled something incoherently, his green gaze wondering "---My objective is to re-join Flyheight and the others for some important briefing. That's none of your concern as far as I can tell."  
  
"Whatever briefing you may be LOOKING for, you're not going to see on my top. Specifically, on my apron." 'Which is so damned pink and ridiculous and I can't take it off!' Raven added silently.  
  
Thomas grinned suddenly, green eyes that were sheepish lifting to his face. "Sorry," he murmured. "At least---Hell, I'm not sorry. I'm human. It's just not like you seen wearing such a thing, I mean a pink apron and---"  
  
"I'm cooking and this crap is the first thing I grabbed without knowing." He told him dryly, his indigo gaze partially furious. Adding, "Thomas Schubaltz, It's difficult to talk to someone who won't look you in the eye."  
  
He seemed to withdraw his gaze with great effort and fixed it on his coffee cup. "Then" he muttered, "---remove the damn apron."  
  
Raven looked down, swore mildly and with some much effort and a small pocket knife removed the infernal thing off his body.  
  
"That's better." He sighed, and took a few gulps of his coffee.  
  
"It wasn't intentional."  
  
"No one asked you if it's intentional." He was studying him, his green eyes nearly weary as the cold indigo ones that looked back at him. He cleared his throat, "No one will be terrified of a young man charging the battlefield in a pink apron."  
  
Thomas is going to enjoy the piece of embarrassment he had, and it's the worse thing that could ever happen to him. 'Damn, this is my territory! Why would I let this stubborn prick has his own way?!' Raven felt his temper creeping, "Thomas---"  
  
"Not now, Raven. If you have something against me, we can always fight it over at the battlefield."  
  
'You damn wuss, it's Van I'm going to face off in the battlefield.' He thought.  
  
Thomas looked at him, "I'll try to convince you, you know."  
  
"Hmph. Whatever." He said inaudibly, almost gritting his teeth. "But you won't succeed. It will take time for you to realize that, unfortunately. Pity you won't just take my word for it."  
  
Thomas shook his head, slowly and firmly.  
  
Raven looked at him and felt even more hungry and tired. "But in the meantime, leave. I have to eat and get some sleep."  
  
"You have knocked down my Dibison, I'm afraid."  
  
"Then get the horse tied outside the cabin, it's not mine anyway."  
  
Thomas considered the matter, hoping he could negotiate with the youth. "Look," he said, "We are both hungry and tired. And if I had to ride all those ten miles back down this mountain today, I'll get myself killed. If you really want to see how damned good I am these days, spare me and let me sleep on your couch."  
  
"No."  
  
He looked at him pathetically. Trying to humor the gray-haired pilot, "I think we have the same thing, I consider Van as my rival, but only to Miss Fiona's affection. I'd like to have children with her someday. If I have to get back on a horse," he said, "I'll never be able to father children."  
  
It surprised a laugh out of Raven. He realized, while the youth gazed out to him humorously, noticing he was determined to stay. Raven also realized he was also too damned tired to argue.  
  
"Oh the hell," he said, "Take the couch. I'm going to eat and then go to bed." He turned away and walked down the hall to the small kitchenette and, was, literally, digging his food hungrily then brings it up to his room and collapsed down before his head hits the pillow.  
  
( 


	2. Manipulator and the Manipulated

Cruel Intentions  
  
By RaVen0us  
  
  
  
Part two: Manipulator and the manipulated  
  
Note: All I can say this chapter is too sensual, and a bit too odd for the actual plot I planned :+ Warning: It's not what it appears to be. Why is Thomas suddenly cocky? Why did I place this to action adventure category? Why is it rated PG 13 ( ? The suspense continues----  
  
-RaVen0us  
  
Raven awoke in the same much condition he'd gone to sleep in, his body tight and aching with pain, probably caused by stress and the cold weather. Seeing he would have to be fit and well enough to resume his quest sooner or later if the weather subsided, he got up and grabbed some of the clothes he could find to get himself warm. Raven pulled on some jeans and a heavy sweater, and cautiously tiptoed to the kitchen to make himself some coffee. He heard Shadow making a worried grunt, and he looked through the living room.  
  
'Of course, its Schubaltz's little brother.' He nearly forgot that he let the lieutenant in several hours ago. God, and he thought it was all a dream that he let the blonde in and even gave him coffee. He could have done something less stupid at that time, probably knock him unconscious---then tie him around the horse, and drag him out downhill to devil who may care where. The sleeping stranger lay on the couch, partly covered by his drifter cloak and some covers. His clothes were neatly folded on the coffee table. Apparently, Thomas was a restless sleeper, as the covers were twisted around his body. He'd thrown them away from him, exposing his upper chest and stomach. The faint rays of the emerging sunlight drifted across through the window, highlighting the sharp planes and valleys of his slender body. There was an odd expression on his face, and he was panting softly, caught in the throes of some dream.  
  
Raven found his eyes fixed on the steadily rising and falling chest, and frowned a little. There was an odd weakness in his knees and his breathing seemed to quicken. His mouth momentarily went dry, as his eyes feasted on that gorgeous expanse of chest. He felt irresistibly drawn to the older boy, like a moth to a flame. He had to fight an urge to go over and plant his own lips on that incredible mouth. Thomas moaned softly and murmured a name, and Raven stepped back as he abruptly realized just WHAT kind of a dream the lieutenant was having.  
  
Feeling a hot flame surged in his groin, Raven cursed himself. He finds a solid wall near him and starts to bang his head in slow hard intervals until it grew painful and raw. Getting drawn to the 'enemy' is a different thing! What was he thinking? He muttered silently; face flaming trying very hard NOT to think about the incredible erotic picture Thomas had made, sprawled out over the couch in wonton abandonment, calling out a name.  
  
Karl's name.  
  
A slow sardonic smile crept to Raven's lips; the colonel must have done something to Thomas--probably not a nice one. When he was gaping few minutes ago, he assessed how unnatural the blonde one moan-it seems like a moan of someone coerced to do 'something.' And with that means,  
  
"Colonel Schubaltz had something more than brotherly love." Raven whispered, he can imagine it now, what if such scandal spread like wild- fire in the whole imperial army. It would be nice, to see the man who imprisoned him once, to be demoted---or exiled because of such 'unnatural' liaisons. But he has to prove that something have happened between the two brothers, and if he did, it would be his sweet revenge and it would be the end of their careers. It would be much fun than blasting their bases into smithereens.  
  
He carefully thought about it, wondering how he'll carry out his plan while he busied himself starting the coffee, then with a perverse notion, threw away Thomas' dirty clothes. He went out to check on his Geno breaker then returned to the cabin for a quick cup of coffee and then leaving a note, he brought Shadow along side of him for an hour to trek along the mountain to scout on any possible soldiers who might know where he is hiding. When he got back, his 'guest' was in the shower. He absentmindedly set two places at the breakfast bar and began to fix anything edible he could find. The pantry is all full of canned goods, last night he had canned meat and vegetables---maybe this morning he'll get lucky and find canned sausages, beef and soup. He wished there would be a boxful of cyanide to which he could lace the food, but no such luck. 'Nah, just let the man eat. Then maybe sooner or later he'll just buzz off.' He silently thought. He starts to cook breakfast, reluctantly setting two plates and the aroma greeted Thomas as he emerged from the bathroom.  
  
"I threw your clothes," Raven said simply, seeing the blonde has nothing on but a short towel on.  
  
Thomas didn't respond, but proceeds to give Raven a quick sharp glance then he went to another room. He re-emerged later wearing a blue long sleeved sweatshirt and a pair of khakis, clothes from the previous owner that seems to fit him. Raven noticed something unusual, for Thomas is not wearing the portable link to his left ear, nor was the band that attached it to his head. He hardly removes any of them. Come to think of it, he didn't even see him wearing those when he first appeared to his doorstep. Anyway, Thomas proceeds to dry his dirty blonde hair and quietly stood beside the table,  
  
"You can sit down if you want breakfast," Raven muttered, as if to answer his unasked question, to which Thomas happily obliged. The gray-haired boy looked at him as he finally sat down at the other side of the table. The clear, steady green eyes that looked at Raven out of that handsome face found no interested awareness in his own indigo stare. Raven get his share, placed the food before Thomas, and began eating his own breakfast.  
  
After a moment he followed suit. Then he sent him a front glance, "You're a good cook," he noted.  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Raven didn't look at him.  
  
Thomas tried again, "Thanks for the couch, and thanks for not killing me last night and letting me join breakfast with you."  
  
"Sure thing. You're welcome."  
  
He laughed suddenly, a short sound that was barely amused. "Hardly, hardly welcome."  
  
"You weren't invited." He snapped at him.  
  
*****  
  
Nothing more was said until the meal was finished. Raven poured more coffee for them, but took his to the sink as he began cleaning up. Silent, Thomas rose and began helping. Raven accepted the help matter-of-factly, but didn't comment on it. When they were finished, Raven took his mug to the living room, and Thomas followed suit. He sat on one end of the couch; and the blonde took the other.  
  
"You have," he said finally, "-gone to some lengths to make this entire morning painfully impersonal."  
  
"I haven't gone to any lengths at all." Raven smiled a twisted smile. Deep inside, he is starting to get irritated of Thomas' sudden cocky attitude. He didn't know where it came from, but whatever it is, he is determined to make him speak. "I am what I am, Schubaltz."  
  
"Thomas, for god sake. Calling me by my first name won't strike you mute."  
  
Raven said nothing  
  
Thomas frowned, "Look, will it kill you to talk to me even for ONCE like a reasonable human being than something your organoid dragged in?"  
  
"Have I done that? Sorry."  
  
"You're so cool." He stared at him, a fixed gaze that probed and searched. "So---unflappable. Even yesterday, when you were tired."  
  
And Raven was surprised to find himself briefly tempted to explain the coolness Thomas commented on, the control. He frowned a bit, not pleased by the impulse, and said,  
  
"You should get started back to whatever your damn mission will get you right now. The avalanche that covered your zoid didn't necessarily make that much damage and you can get it warmed up easily. Just take a darn horse near this shelter, and go downhill then scram."  
  
Thomas slowly finished his coffee, never taking his green eyes off Raven, and then reached over to set the mug on the coffee table. Leaning back, he said musingly. "I heard there is a ranger in the area you chased off the mountain with a load of buckshot in his pants. Would you do that to me?"  
  
Raven felt like his cheeks are burning with rage, 'So he thinks this is a fun game? Acting so damn cocky and all?' He tried to calm down, and finding himself asking him, "Do you think I wouldn't?"  
  
"Oh, I think you would. I think it wouldn't matter to you a bit, not ever, since I'm a GF team member and I'm plainly just your enemy." He paused, and then went on. "What I'm wondering, really is why. Why are you hiding up here, why a beautiful, skilled and 'domesticated' person like you would be so cold?"  
  
Raven felt his blood boil as Thomas pointed out sarcastically that he is 'beautiful' and 'domesticated.' He knew that he was trying to provoke him, probing more reaction from him. Raven was, again briefly, tempted to tell him why, but he said nothing.  
  
"How old are you?" he asked abruptly.  
  
"None of your business." He snapped back, avoiding the green gaze.  
  
"You didn't know how old you are?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"What's your whole name then, Raven?"  
  
"This is not even my real name!"  
  
There was a long silence that followed afterwards. Raven felt something gathering, tensing, and threatening to spring from the dark closet where it lived. Thomas Schubaltz, he realized dimly, was very good at probing and all his instincts were shouting at him. He wanted to get away because when dark things leaped from closets and stood nakedly between two enemies, for he have exposed his weak spot.  
  
"I don't remember anything." Raven stood up abruptly and carried their coffee mugs to the kitchen. Damn, he could strangle the persistent dickhead right now!  
  
"Raven---"  
  
The gray-haired one started when the voice came from behind him.  
  
"Raven, I don't want to pry but---"  
  
"If you want to live, then don't." He muttered acidly, suppressing an instinctive physical withdrawal when he saw how close to him the other zoid pilot stood. Too close---he was too close to him. Too close to his pain. "Stop asking questions. You turn up on the porch one day and expect my life story the next?"  
  
He nodded slowly, "All right, I had that coming. It's really none of my business, is it?"  
  
"It's none of your business," he agreed.  
  
There was another long silence again; Thomas swore that when Raven looked back at him, there is a breath of murder in his indigo eyes.  
  
"I'm not normally inquisitive," Thomas murmured, "It's just that I never cared for shadow-boxing."  
  
Raven thought he knew what he meant, but asked anyway. "Meaning?"  
  
Thomas crossed his arms over his chest and seemed to study Raven intently. "Well when a man finds himself interested with another person, he generally has to contend with the person's past, because he isn't a part of it."  
  
"You don't waste time with small talk, do you?"  
  
"I can't afford to, can I? At any moment I may find myself tumbling down this mountain, speeded along by your shotgun or being blasted away with your genobreaker."  
  
"There is that." Raven fought off the urge to relax and enjoy his approach. "Look, Schubaltz---"  
  
"If," he interrupted conversationally, "-you don't start calling me Thomas, I'm going to kiss you silly."  
  
Raven blinked, "Look, Thomas---"  
  
"Works every time," he told an invisible third party. "All you have to do is threaten a fate worse than death."  
  
Raven has had it, first Thomas is probing to his past and now he is FLIRTING him? And he is letting him get away with it? Enough is enough!  
  
He gave him a hard cold glare, "Look here, 'Thomas'. I don't know what got into that big head of yours that made you think that you can take me on, but I'm warning you. I knew something that could ruin your career and that Imperial Army Colonel brother of yours. You are both going down."  
  
Thomas gaze suddenly went cold, and perplexed. "Such as?"  
  
"You didn't think I know?" Raven replied sarcastically, "You are a damn restless sleeper, you keep on moaning big brother's name. Where is he now that you needed him?" he chided,  
  
"Cease your mouth you darn brat," he countered, the words where as cold as they seem to pierce like shards of ice. Giving Raven a jolt of surprise, "My brother is dead, killed in front of my eyes at the damn Wind colony attack."  
  
Now it's Raven turn to be perplexed, what the fuck is Thomas talking about?  
  
"Fool."  
  
Thomas let out a roar of wicked laughter, so wicked that Raven accidentally dropped his mug and his pallid face jaw gaped in shock. Thomas Schubaltz has gone insane. Very, very sickly insane.  
  
"I'll show you who the fool is now, I just came here to know what I need to know" he smiled coldly, much more wicked than Raven's. He raised his voice, "Shadow!"  
  
The black organoid suddenly materialized beside Thomas aid.  
  
"No," Raven finds himself angry, shock and disappointed. "Damn it Shadow! What's wrong with you?! Come here!"  
  
He made a motion to reach for his dark organoid, but it seems that it failed to recognize him. It snapped back at Raven, attacking him, sending him crashing to the floor.  
  
"It seems you have taken well of your Genobreaker," he said mockingly. "Shadow, mobilize!"  
  
Raven watched in shock, as his organoid followed his enemy's order and swiftly rocketed to the woods and through the red zoid.  
  
"Damn you, Thomas!" he snarled angrily, and made a move to lunge toward Thomas, but to no avail. The blonde produced a gun to his hand and shot Raven by the shoulder. Everything seem to went through a slow motion, he witnessed slowly as the genobreaker had taken a life on its own, the wicked smile of Thomas lips, as Raven himself slowly fell back-----back with his mouth open in an angry soundless scream, blood spurting out from his wound. There came another shot, another burning pain---and Raven felt like he no longer have control or feeling of his body. The shot injured him directly to the knee, busting his knee cap. He watched it bleed, broke and slowly everything seemed to sound so far away, then he felt his head hit the solid cold floor. He finds himself choking on his own blood, hazily remembering a thick shoe sole crushing his neck, depriving him painfully off air.  
  
The blonde haze appears one last time the gun cocked in between his eyes, before he felt the darkness' embrace.  
  
"See you in hell, Lieutenant Blitz Flyheight."  
  
  
  
-continued-  
  
** Yes I know, TOO CONFUSING isn't it? I might imagine a couple of shocked responses on 'where did THAT come from?' *sighs* let me put this---Thomas in here is not actually Thomas- but that of a parallel dimensional reality- hmmm, weird ne ~^; you can email me on your whine and i'll be sure to answer -Rav-chan ** 


	3. Brothers

Note: Yay! This chapter will kind of explain all that mumbo-jumbo in part two. I hope. And who the hell is Lt. Blitz Flyheight?! *cough cough* -RaVen0us.  
  
Cruel Intentions  
  
By RaVen0us  
  
Part three: Brothers  
  
---Lieutenant Blitz Flyheight.  
  
---Raven  
  
In the interrogation room  
  
Thomas finds his head pounding like hell, but the pain nothing compared to the swollen eye and the nasty punch in the jaw he got from a bunch of crazy republicans. He is very confused, finding himself a couple of hours ago with Beek going berserk with a sudden over ride of the system and his Dibison going amuck all of the sudden. Then there is this strong flashing light. He could hear his brother, who is following him from not so far behind with his Saber Fang (replaced after the Iron Kong MK II was destroyed -author) yelling at him to move away. But then, it was too late.  
  
He was engulfed by this strange light, and then suddenly he was transferred into the battlefield. He opened his eyes, the portable Beek is still attached to him---but he is not in his zoid. "What the fu---" he gasped,  
  
What the hell was he doing in a genobreaker?  
  
He stared to his suit; he is wearing something else different. It seems to be a custom made suit and body armor of violet, silver and black. It is not the colors he wears.  
  
"Don't move! We have you surrounded you bastard from the empire!" came a mocking voice that echoed through the air, he glanced up. There in front of him was a couple of command wolfs---and a Dibison! The familiar mocking voice was coming from the Dibison itself. "By the power invested in me by the republic, I Lt. Blitz Flyheight would take you down!"  
  
'Who the fuck is THAT?'  
  
Confused, he managed to link the comlink with the other Lieutenant in the Dibison, "This is Lieutenant Thomas Schubaltz, I came from the guardian force from the Im---"  
  
"His crazy, Take him down!!"  
  
Before he knew it, came the rapid ammo exploding and gun fires all over, crushing the genobreaker. He didn't know how to operate the powerful zoid, but was able to make it move, trying to get it away from this sudden attack as fast as possible.  
  
"His trying to get away!"  
  
"Not this time---Meglomax!" (I'm not sure of the spelling- author)  
  
The dibison confronted the genobreaker with a powerful direct spontaneous blast. So strong, that Thomas swore he must have passed out by then. He remembered hazily, some voices calling for a retreat.  
  
"The colonel wants you to stop this instant; the enemy is not attacking back."  
  
"He is still deadly; we won't let him get away! It's better that he be finished right now--"  
  
"Then if you don't want to listen to him as a colonel, then try listening him as your brother."  
  
'Brother'?  
  
Thomas recalled a mild volley of curses coming from the familiar voice in the dibison, then the next thing he knew he was being dragged out the cock pit. He tried to move, explain himself-but he received a blow in the gut, then to the jaw and to the face until he grew numb and pain. Damn, he is almost next to being unconscious, and then they still beat him up?  
  
He was being swarmed by the pilots from the republic, being frisked away, including the mysterious pilot from the Dibison, who is wearing a masked helmet to hide his features.  
  
"I bet the Colonel won't mind that I beat him up before interrogating him,"  
  
"Colonel Van Flyheight won't be pleased, after all, that's brutality sir!"  
  
/What? Van is the Colonel of the republic---and he has a lieutenant brother? Hey! /  
  
"You know damn better mate, that same man nearly killed me and gave me these scars." The pilot muttered, stretching out his palms, hideously scarred.  
  
/I think I heard of someone having those scars--/  
  
More amalgam of voices ensued, most of them trying to placate the Lieutenant.  
  
He heard a seething angry noise coming from him, as he seems to silently rage at the scarred hands. "Damn it, why am I always surrounded by punks who don't know anything about piloting zoids?" the lieutenant muttered, "The more punks like him we take out there, the more chances this damn war in Zi would be finally over."  
  
"They do call for a ceasefire four years ago, Lt. Flyheight--"  
  
"Yeah, till that bastard re-surfaced after THOSE four years, and killed his Majesty. They placed the blame on us republicans again."  
  
/His Majesty Rudolf? Assassinated? What in the wor---/  
  
Thomas is becoming increasingly disoriented; listening to the conversation is like listening to a big hideous lie. Another thing he noticed is this 'Lt. Flyheight' has a dire lack of military ethics. He never heard such person cursed in the battlefield and speak with arrogance and contempt. And he is Col. Van Flyheight's 'brother'. For some reason, he remembered his own brother, the Imperial army colonel, Karl.  
  
'Hmph, Karl wouldn't put up to such attitude--' he seemed to faintly smile in memory, every time Karl would stiffly reprimand him with the formalities. He can't help himself, it's just every time he sees Karl he keep on spouting excitedly 'big bro'. He even wondered, if Karl would get any stoical with his military business, it is better having a chunk of lifeless rock for a big brother.  
  
He never thought that Karl cared for him deeply in a way that is too complex to understand.  
  
When he joined him among his patrols, he was eager to have him by his side. Karl seems to warm up with his company easily, he even told Thomas that if they are not into the mission objective just call him by his name and just be like normal brothers. But the stay in the tavern finally changed that, they said that in wine there is truth---and in this case, Karl drank a liquor too many. He had to carry him upstairs at the room they shared. Then Karl starts spouting strange words and then proceeds to kiss him unnaturally---and almost raped him. And when he hit him so hard, his senses jarred back, the colonel confessed of his true feelings. He never really meant to harm him---it's just he loved him so much, so much that he would go insane--  
  
He loved him much more than a brother.  
  
Confused, appalled and totally devastated on Karl's revelation. He tried to avoid him the best that he could, trying to avert his mind on anything else that remind him of his brother, the Imperial Army Colonel. How could he do this to him? He looked up to him as his role model for his whole life! How can he trust his own brother for what he almost did to him-feel for him? He does not know the answer yet--- that's why he had to go.  
  
Even though he resumed his duties as a GF team member alongside with Flyheight and the sunshine of his life Miss Fiona, he can't shake the thought that somewhere---Karl is watching him, following him---waiting for the chance to confront and talk to him. His suspicions were confirmed, when one day during in a stimulation program he finds out that one of the dummies are actually real and it is Karl's Saber fang.  
  
"Thomas, I want to talk to you."  
  
The words sends waves of panic to him, he knew Karl is doing this for a personal reason. For why should he address him with his name without any formalities?  
  
"No! Leave me alone!" he snapped, and over came by a sudden impulse, he incidentally fired some ammo to the saber fang. Knocking momentarily Karl off guard, he ran off with his Dibison, not knowing where but only one thing for sure---where Karl wouldn't reach him. He ran and ran until he reached through some wood lands and mountains, and unfortunately, Karl's saber fang not so far behind him.  
  
"Watch out!!"  
  
It was a word of warning from him, the next thing he knew Beek went into an over drive and the Dibison had gone berserk. Then ahead of him, is the strangest blinding ball of light he ever saw. Karl tried to dodge it away with his Zoid, but it was too late, the Dibison got sucked into the light. Up to the last moment, he can hear his brother's voice calling for him--- trying to reach out to protect him, trying to save him. Even if he still rejects at the sight of him, he will and always be going to be there to look out for him-no matter what have changed between them.  
  
/Karl---/  
  
"Lieutenant, check this out--"  
  
Thomas could hear a voice and everything seem to fell back to reality. Still in a half-conscious state, he felt the republican soldier kneel down and take a closer inspection to him, touching the left side of his cheek.  
  
"It looks like a communicator of some sort sir. Don't you think it's---?"  
  
They are talking about his portable connection to Beek, he hardly removes it. Right now, he doesn't want it to be removed from him---it's the only damned thing he had that might help him back.  
  
"Destroy it." The lieutenant muttered, pulling off his helmet and mask and donned back the pair of gloves.  
  
/No! /  
  
His body is too weak to move, he felt the gloved hand trying to pry the link of his head. He wouldn't let that arrogant so called lieutenant have his way---Thomas mustered every ounce of strength left to open his eyes, and lunged defensively forward, trying to get the accessory back from the Lieutenant's hands. In doing so, he managed to see the face of his surprised captor.  
  
Lt. Blitz Flyheight has a red mark on his right cheek, a tuft of longish dark gray hair and a mocking pair of indigo eyes.  
  
He grabbed the lieutenant's collar, shaking him "RAVEN! You are---"  
  
A sudden firm fist coming from Blitz hit him solid straight to the guts. With a surprised look in his eyes, Thomas finally passed out this time.  
  
"-and my name is not Raven, punk. Know to address a republican officer." Blitz muttered, passing the metal gadgetry to a soldier as he kicked the now unconscious Thomas to the floor.  
  
"Are we going to destroy it, Lieutenant Sir?"  
  
Blitz hesitated for awhile, "No---I think its better we keep it. He would have a lot of confessing up to do with me and big bro-I mean, the Colonel."  
  
"Yes, lieutenant sir."  
  
Blitz fixed his collar, letting out a small 'hmphing' sound and then wondered  
  
'Who in Zi is Raven?' 


	4. Chaos draws near

Cruel Intentions  
  
By RaVen0us  
  
  
  
Part four: Chaos draws near *note for new readers: do not read this chapter unless you read the previous part. Re-edited version! Thanks to maewglyn for the beta. Better late than never! ^^; peace! *  
  
Thomas started to regain consciousness; but he was still woozy from the beating. He was, right now, in the interrogation room. It was lit with only a single light bulb dangling over his head, casting shadows around the rest of the room and obscuring the exit; a small table and chair in front of him. He was sitting down himself, his arms crossed; hands tightly bound behind his back. His attention suddenly averted from his grim situation he is in when he heard the door creak open, allowing a couple of figures to enter the room. One of them was wearing the standard maroon and gray colors, the uniform of the republic lieutenant, his grey hair slicked back. It's 'Blitz' he recalled; the uniform is similar to Van's except that this youth doesn't exposed his stomach and instead wears a leather covering beneath it. Another figure walked past him, his walk was regal and carried him with long even strides. The brunette hair was set in deep spikes, and his uniform was an impressive republican colonel uniform (unlike Hermann's :P -author). He has a red mark on his left jaw, and sat placidly in front of him, his dark onyx eyes probing the nervous Thomas.  
  
"Van" Thomas exclaimed, quickly shutting up when Blitz raised his hand, a punch forming  
  
"That's Colonel Flyheight to you, you bastard! Show some respect!" Blitz cussed, bringing his angry, pallid face to the light. Blitz started to throw the punch, but stopped mid way through as Van brought up a hand, signaling the lieutenant to stop.  
  
"Lt. Flyheight, mind your manners during an interrogation!" Van threatened his younger 'sibling'  
  
"But, Van---" Blitz pleaded, his amethyst eyes wide  
  
"In this headquarters, you have to address me as your superior officer." Van scolded the lieutenant  
  
Blitz cocked his head slightly, and with a disappointed sigh. "Yes, Colonel sir."  
  
"Leave us. I'll just call you." Van commanded.  
  
Blitz gave a hesitant look to Van, and then turned to Thomas, giving him an acidic glare before he left the room. A look that Thomas interpreted as, don't do anything stupid or I'll kill you  
  
"I guess my brother would have killed you if I hadn't reasoned him. He can be an ass sometimes." Van said apologetically, then looking up to Thomas. There is a different aura about him; he didn't exude the intimidation of a senior officer, although he looked a bit stern. Thomas noticed the fact that in this messy world he got into-Van still looks like Van, nothing much has changed except probably for the clothes and the position. And when he starts to talk to him, he did so with control and diplomacy.  
  
"You have conditionally surrendered yourself willingly, Thomas. It seems to come in a surprise for all of us."  
  
"I didn't know what you are talking about, Va--"  
  
"It's Colonel, Col. Flyheight."  
  
"Yes, Colonel sir." He corrected. Then overwhelmed with all the beatings and the confusion that swarmed him these past several hours, and with Van's complacent presence in front of him, Thomas felt like telling everything--- even if it make's him sound like crazy. "Sir, I think I wouldn't have 'surrendered willingly' hasn't the Lieutenant pulverize me with all that firepower!"  
  
"He got instructions not to kill you," Van looked at Thomas quizzically  
  
"He wanted to kill me!" Thomas started to yell  
  
"You are a big threat to everyone, both the Empire and the Republic. Sometimes he has that option. God knows what you will do with that Geno breaker of yours again." Van failed to calm down the high-strung Lt.  
  
"I didn't want anything to do with that Geno breaker! Destroy it if you will! I'm not the one you wanted---it's someone else! I got here by mistake, and to prove it I had a portable com link with me that have whatsoever no link with that" he snapped, pounding both fists at the table and standing up. The spiky haired colonel blinked and stared in surprise, words seemed to escape his mouth. Thomas made quite some noise, that in the instant, the gray-haired lieutenant appeared briskly from the outside.  
  
"I warned you." Blitz growled, standing in a loose combat stance  
  
"That is enough Blitz" The colonel commanded calmly; he had a strange feeling that Thomas is telling the truth. It must be the desperate air of helplessness around him, Van thought. "Blitz, did you and the others found a portable com link that he is talking about?"  
  
With a lazy nod, Blitz tossed over the piece of equipment, followed by a mumbled 'yeah.' The colonel gave him a disappointed look; the gray-haired lieutenant had a dire lack of formalities just because they were brothers. To start with, they are not REALLY brothers-but the events in their young lives made them as such. The day that his father defended an attack in the Wind Colony, one of the republican soldiers presented the boy that his father saved before he died. The boy does not have a name and just lost his parents. They decided to call him Blitz and took the family name after he suddenly tackled a dark organoid upon trying to defend his new foster home. He always disliked Zoids, and that irony is the reason why he soon followed Van's footsteps in also becoming a great Zoid pilot someday. Soon enough, he proved he can follow his 'brother', becoming very skilled for his age, rising to the ranks and won as many battles, although at times he did act out of arrogance and pure stubbornness. Unfortunately that made him quite feared even with the republicans. He tries to emulate Van and is as loyal as a true brother. He answers and only obeyed direct orders nonetheless only from him.  
  
"No one knows where it is supposed to be, Va----I mean, colonel sir." Blitz replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "It seems not to be linked with the geno breaker, either."  
  
The dark onyx eyes observed the gadget carefully, like an alien artifact or an explosive, and then looked at Thomas. "Tell us, what is this?"  
  
"It's part of Beek, it's a program built in my---" Thomas paused, he was to say 'from my Dibison' but knowing pretty well no one would believe him in THIS situation.  
  
"I think it's a new subprogram for his project SIMONE." Blitz thought out loud,  
  
Thomas gave him a startled look, "SIMONE? I don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"You don't know what I'm talking about? That knock on the head must have jolted your senses then." Blitz said gracelessly, waving a hand "SIMONE, Simulation One is the damn A.I. program you created to mimic the purpose of an organoid. I do hear that its real purpose was the ability to hack in other zoids and feeding all the available pilot data to create a dreadful so called auto-pilot control mechanism."  
  
He didn't know what this SIMONE program is, but who ever thought about this is a sheer technical genius like he is; A mad genius to that... If he is in this alternate world then---there is another Thomas out there, an evil version of him, and he could be stuck in his world! But who will believe him?  
  
"Get me the Imperial Army Colonel! Get me Col. Karl Lichten Schubaltz!" he pleaded, "He is my brother, and he knows I'm innocent!" Maybe in this world, he wished.  
  
Blitz swore mildly, "What fucking mind games are you getting at? There is no Colonel Karl Schubaltz in the imperial side. You say you are his brother? You must have lost your mind!"  
  
Thomas glared at him, "I am sane, I know I have a brother!"  
  
Van let out a deep sigh, and eyed him quizzically "Did you forget? Your brother died several years ago, he is one of the civilian casualties in a shoot out. "  
  
Thomas felt his world crumble, words formed soundlessly from his mouth. "No."  
  
In this strange world he got into, he is evil, despised and he's only brother is dead. What a mess he is into now---and he doesn't know how he could go back.  
  
"No." he said again, this time louder with his tone shaken and disturbed. Bending his head he buried his hands to his face, and drew a deep painful breath before releasing a distressed mournful cry. It is so disturbingly long and loud, blended with racking sobs that it froze the two officers for several minutes, with either not knowing what to do or say.  
  
Van is the first to speak, "You need to rest," he said tersely and give Thomas a quick reassuring pat to the shoulder. "My men will take you to your cell. So I think you'll be in your correct senses for the next interrogation tomorrow."  
  
He nodded mutely, and was silently lead into his jail cell. As he walked the vast corridors to his confinement, his thoughts were cocooned on how to plan to escape---if there is any possible way. Even the alternate universe, he was lucky that Van is still Van even in spite of the higher rank. He seems to believe in him somehow, and didn't force him to speak more (when he cried). And the so called 'Lt. Blitz--- well, he has no difference from the bitter mercenary Raven. The only difference is he had a high respect for Van, but in any way, he is STILL skilled rouge just this time dressed in a republican uniform.  
  
He gloomily gazed through out the corridors and the facility windows, hoping to see more familiar faces, and what kind of role they play in this world he got thrown into. In few minutes, he saw Blitz by the hangar along with the others, Irvine, Fiona and Moon bay. They all look the same, and act the same---and the only wrong thing in the picture is 'Blitz' who is smiling wide---laughing at Fiona's jokes.  
  
He is supposed to be there,  
  
He is supposed to be the one laughing beside Fiona, and the others.  
  
When he noticed the blonde zoidian accidentally glanced by his direction, Thomas can no longer bear it, he called out, despite the restraint from the soldiers holding him. "Miss Fiona!"  
  
Fiona's suddenly froze upon the sight of him, her laugh faded from her lips and her cherry red eyes filled with recognition and then fear, she shuddered and quickly averted her gaze and turned away. Blitz and the others gave Thomas a cold acid glare.  
  
"Didn't the colonel told you people to lock him up immediately? He is dangerous!" Blitz snapped, as he held a protective arm to the blonde zoidian's shoulder.  
  
"Y-yes lieutenant sir!"  
  
Thomas gave one long hurting gaze, imprinting each of their faces in his memory. Then with a bowed head, he was prodded along the way to his confinement. As he was being lead away, the young republican colonel has been watching him, observing him from the higher adjacent room in the 2nd floor. Too many lives were lost because of this single person, and a lot of good men from the republican side has sacrificed their lives---especially when the SIMONE project has been utilized, many ranks have been vacant and few skilled pilots are were designated to quickly take their place. When the previous lieutenant in charge was killed while commanding an assault for the geno breaker and the sergeant that followed along with the first fleet were destroyed by SIMONE's first wave, it was then the that his step brother, who's next in line, Corporal Blitz, bravely lead a successful blitzkrieg attempt that halted further more casualties. In doing so, Blitz was severely injured and burned his palms when he nearly took a fatal hit from the charge particle beam so that the others could open fire where SIMONE is placed from within the geno breaker, doing so caused the zoid to malfunction. Van almost blamed himself upon giving permission to let Blitz take command on the field; after learning the other lieutenant in charge didn't make it out alive.  
  
Few days later, and after a few healed battle scars, Blitz was awarded the Silver Star and was promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant, filling up the vacant ranks. Van was a lieutenant himself, but Col. Hermann was killed in action---and since there is no one with the right qualities to fill in his slot, the spiky haired pilot is the next best candidate. After few weeks, the newly designated officers and everyone resumed into heightening their offenses and defenses in case the geno breaker and its A.I. program SIMONE would penetrate once more into their system. Blitz, now a lieutenant, who's anticipating for pay back, pleaded to him to lend him a few more troops so that they can immobilize SIMONE before it strikes again.  
  
"You know what the risks are Lieutenant, we couldn't afford losing more men, not right now!" he reprimanded him furiously, his furious gaze battling against Blitz's determined indigo look.  
  
"I'm not going to lose to him, Van. I won't let him."  
  
"It's Col. Flyheight, don't forget your formalities. Look lieutenant---"  
  
"I'm not going to let anything happen to our men. I have seen enough bloodshed already, Van! If you won't stop him---then I can, and I have to. It's the least I could do for the people who saved me from the wind colony attack---" his voice wavered, and then with a quick salute, "So I'm requesting for your permission, colonel sir!"  
  
He remembered being told every so often, that he and Blitz are anything but similar. The only few traits they share is their skills in piloting zoids--- and that none of them has the quitter's gene. It's no use stopping Blitz once he sets his mind on something, just like he was in his early lieutenant days.  
  
"Permission granted."  
  
After several hours, Van was surprised that one of his men contacted the base and reported the personal capture of the maker of SIMONE and the pilot of the geno breaker, Thomas. It send him a chill that the man dressed like a night assassin with pallid features and cold piercing green eyes, the man who's genius that created the A.I. console, that's enough to control/wipe out a whole zoid army---was single-handedly brought down by Blitz without putting up a fight. It scared him more deep inside when he saw that this Thomas didn't have the look in his eyes---the emotionless green glare, when he brought in for interrogation. He was disoriented, pleading and almost--- as if believable---clueless and totally unaware of the whole situation going on. It was when Thomas cried when he mentioned there is no Karl Schubaltz in the imperial army that bring him even more doubts to what he has been suspecting all along---he knew something is just very wrong with the picture. Very very wrong---  
  
"Damn, Flyheight---have you gotten the wrong man?"  
  
  
  
-continued- 


	5. deadly affections

Cruel Intentions  
  
By RaVen0us  
  
  
  
Part five: Deadly affection  
  
(Note: Previous readers. There are two Thomas's in the story, as you have noticed right now o_o. WHAT? The other Thomas is a bad guy? Yes, just for a change I want him bad. Anyway, Keep up with the phase ^^; it's tedious but it's worth it. No flames, and read the disclaimer-Ravenous)  
  
Credits go to skeyeta-chan for the beta^^V  
  
"/" - means trail of thought.  
  
"---" - means a sub-part of a part.  
  
*****  
  
"I told you I'm good."  
  
No response.  
  
"Oh, well maybe I guess he's really dead then. Isn't he shadow?" Thomas said lazily, and then fishing out a cigarette from his pocket, he lighted it up with the match by the kitchen counter. With a deep inhale, he blew a couple of smoke rings, and brought another stick to Shadow's mouth. The dark organoid sweat dropped.  
  
The dark blonde let out a small laugh, as shadow shook it off. "Oh I forgot, you can't smoke. But I think this place would need it, eh?"  
  
He squat down, bending one knee forward as he stared at Raven's limp body sprawled out on the kitchen floor. His indigo eyes are still staring out in shock, his mouth partially open in a frozen attempt to scream, but the expression is lifeless, for his gray-haired head is stained with a deep crimson that is now creating a small pool on the floor.  
  
"Ah, it's nice meeting you Raven. I see you are me in this world---and you-- " his cold green eyes narrowed into angry slits, his one hand grabbing the lifeless face as he held it up against him. "YOU are my enemy in my world--- so killing you here is just enough satisfaction for me." A sardonic smile crept up the dark blonde's face.  
  
Raven---or Blitz Flyheight, Thomas has always been strangely attracted to him, the gray-haired teen always got the balls every time he charged at him on the battlefield. He always anticipated it every time they met, and after several skirmishes the wanting turned in an almost, insane and unnatural fascination.  
  
He lifted the pale face and thumbed the red mark on Raven's/Blitz's cheek, "You know, you always have been pretty----" And with that, he placed a hungry and mocking kiss on the unmoving mouth. "Too bad---"  
  
He stood up, then taking out the gun from his pocket, he blasted the gas pipes from behind the kitchen stove, causing the flammable fluid to spray every where, he then walked to other rooms, doing the same thing--- hitting or spilling anything that had the reek of kerosene and gas on it. When he was finished, he and the dark organoid walked out of the house and he placidly tossed the cigarette from his mouth to the cabin's entrance.  
  
As soon as the whole place exploded, he was spirited away safely by Shadow into the woods.  
  
Thomas frowned when they inspected the geno breaker hidden within the dried tall trees, to him it was not kept in such good shape---and it didn't have the A.I. console SIMONE in it.  
  
/Oh good,/ he thought, /---of course, he doesn't look SMART enough to think of such a program./  
  
Thomas smiled in secret, remembering the strange events that occurred the past few weeks that got him into this strange world. It had been a dark night and after being badly beaten with SIMONE malfunctioning at Blitz's daring attack, Thomas hid himself and his zoid along the mountain paths, as he tried in vain to remove the portable back up software of SIMONE before the whole system was damaged thanks to the meglomax move that had hit the core of the program. It had started to rain and flashes of lighting in the sky started to scatter every where---and then a different strange light suddenly struck in front of his view. Knowing that it was surely NOT from the sky, he called out for shadow's aid---who clamped him in to safety by the time the blinding light had nearly enveloped him.  
  
When he came into consciousness, Shadow was already releasing him, spotting a place where they could land on. It was strange then, because he noticed the place was covered with snow---  
  
Then he fell down on something hard, smacking a hard surface that he knew could not be the ground. Whatever he had fallen into it moved and with his quick reflexes he jumped down, it was then that he noticed that the zoid he had fallen into was a Di Bison.  
  
It was the same zoid he swore saw Lt. Blitz piloting. /Great, I fell into the lap of the enemy/  
  
"Goodness, are you alright?" That was not Blitz and he was very relieved when he heard a different voice. Out came a lanky and pale figure with deep blonde tresses of hair. He tried to stand up, observing if the solider was from the imperial or republican side. He couldn't tell, he could only make out that his uniform is a dark teal color with some beige---/but, that voice--- it sounded like very much like m---/  
  
He limped closer and noticed that the pilot had a small red mark identical to his under the left eye. He gasped, as the figure reached out a hand to see if he is alright.  
  
The man was a mirror image of himself.  
  
"Oh, my god!" The man cried out in surprise, "Y-you are---"  
  
Reacting on instinct, Thomas punched the other pilot in the guts causing the other person to be instantly rendered unconscious. In a few minutes Shadow landed beside him also reacting in surprise as he turned the figure around from the snowy ground.  
  
"He looks very much like me, Shadow. Isn't it strange?" He murmured, touching the pilot's face. The blonde hair, the red mark and even their build, every thing except the clothes---he looked every inch like him. He wondered if this was a sick joke---or if there is some strange magnetic storm that brought him to an alternate world. It would be the best explanation or theory that he could think of since there was no way TWO people would exactly look the same, unless he had a missing twin brother. BUT he didn't have a missing twin brother, and the only brother he knew, older to him by few years, Karl Lichen---was killed several years ago.  
  
"Those bastards" he recalled, as the painful memory still haunts him, seeing how Karl was caught in a cross fire---right in front of his own very eyes.  
  
"Lt. Thomas Schubaltz! Do you read me?!" A desperate voice crackled from the com link receiver from the Di bison, and he was hesitant to go in and check. That was his name; he is Thomas Schubaltz---  
  
"Lieutenant, answer me! Is everything okay?"  
  
He looked at the unconscious figure lying down the ground, /Is he---?/  
  
"Thomas!" The voice said again, this time it sounded more worried. "---this is your brother talking, dammit! This is Karl! Read me, over!"  
  
He felt a strange rippling sensation shoot up to his spine, /Karl?/ he thought excitedly licking his dry lips after getting over the shock, /Karl is alive!/ It was then he concluded he WAS stuck in another world. The man lying unconscious, was his alternate version of himself---and a lieutenant at that. Hastily, he dragged the other Thomas and quickly exchanged their clothes. Mumbling something about a tight ugly-colored uniform, he rushed into the cock pit. He felt his heart skip a beat when he looked at the com link. The ashen blonde hair and the green wide emerald eyes are just like he last remembered them---it is Karl, there is no mistaking it. He might look like he was in his late 20's now, just as he would have expected his late brother to look like if he was still alive. And he is wearing an imperial officer uniform.  
  
"Returning on duty, sir!" he can't keep the choked tone in his voice, noticing that the image of his brother was very much alive and looking at him with relief and worry. How he wanted to reach out at the impression, stroke his fingers on it and kiss it, cry with it. He has always looked up to his late brother, even after his death---his admiration and longing for him have grown so much that it reached a point of obsession. He had dreamt of how he would look, how his voice will sound---how it would feel to touch him. He smiled in memory when he recalled that in one night he woke up having a raging hard on just dreaming about him.  
  
But now he is alive and he is just what he had always imagined---a regal looking imperial officer. Even when they are young he excelled in everything, so he didn't wonder when he learned that he is the colonel of the imperial fleet as they talked. Karl found it strange that his younger brother suddenly sound interested and eager to talk to him when he had been icily avoiding him for the past few weeks. He even had to chase him with his zoid to catch up to him when suddenly a white light had swallowed the Di Bison into thin air.  
  
"Are you alright? That strange light came out of nowhere---where are you?"  
  
Thomas looked around the other Thomas was still unconscious in the snow, wearing his black assassin garb that he placed on him. Shadow sniffed at the body and then coughed, gasping out a rigid boxed metal material. /Of course, the SIMONE back up portable program. / He brought it with him!  
  
"Lieutenant--no, I mean Thomas! What are your coordinates?"  
  
Thomas glanced down at the Di bison and noticed it was custom-made to suit his liking. /So this "Lieutenant" is just as pretty damn good with technical stuff as I am/ "My coordinates?" he said, and heard a weird beeping sound within the Di Bison that responded to his voice. In less than a moment the coordinates start to map out in front of him.  
  
"Why don't you ask Beek to send the result in that area and we will search for you?"  
  
"Beek?"  
  
"You're A.I. Program?"  
  
"Oh,"  
  
/Nice, he also got his own A.I. console then!/ Giving it a quick run down, he noticed the controls are much more simpler and less complicated than SIMONE. In few minutes, he sent Karl the data,  
  
"I' m afraid there is less we can do, the coordinates seems to be very faulty in that area---can you manage?"  
  
Thomas begin to think, he will finally get the life he wanted---and getting out of the middle of nowhere would be an easy task if he re-booted SIMONE to the Di Bison and fused it with this "beek". But then, the other Thomas would wake up---and the others would soon learn of the exchange.  
  
He had to think of a plan, he had to send him away. Maybe by triggering a device on SIMONE to create an effect to attract another magnetic storm---  
  
"Thomas? Can you manage?"  
  
"Of course I can," he smiled, a smile that Karl hadn't seen for such a long time. "After all, I'm home."  
  
The com link signed off, after wavering on and off-signal for several minutes. It is then Karl noticed something---Thomas usually wears the portable com link on his face, where was it now?  
  
*****  
  
Mean while,  
  
"Hey,"  
  
"Don't you think it's early for an interrogation? Please leave me alone." Thomas muttered, sighing heavily and turning away from the young colonel's direction. His clothing material made a squeaking sound as he tossed about, and he cursed silently. He wondered why his other persona even liked black leather.  
  
"Thomas, I need to talk to you. Who are you---really?"  
  
The blonde sat up, looking at Van in a perplexed manner. Did the young colonel believed all he had said even in spite everyone mistook him for a nut case? "Okay---" he paused, "Why so?"  
  
"Just tell me what you are---who you believed you really are." The brunette replied, crossing his arms towards his chest. He looked at him with full seriousness, "Please."  
  
He took a deep breath, "I am Lieutenant Thomas Schubaltz, I'm an officer of the imperial army and a member of the guardian force."  
  
"Guardian Force?"  
  
"The republic and the empire formed an alliance," he told him, and the next thing he knew, he is explaining everything from where he had came from. That the alliance was formed to ensure peace and security after the war, that his Majesty Rudolf is very much alive. He continued telling that the Van he knew is his lieutenant counterpart in the republican side that he have been teamed up with, and that reign in whole Zi is so far as peaceful and with order, and he continued so forth. After finishing his story, he wondered if at any point did the republican colonel believed in him.  
  
/After all, he asked him first./  
  
"About Blitz, you know what happened to my brother?"  
  
Thomas shuddered, "You became the most bitter of rivals. And he is not called, Blitz---he is known as Raven and he is with the dark organoid shadow. Prozen named him because he can't remember his name when he was found during the Wind Colony attack---âE? he noticed that Van is gazing at him strangely, "W-what?"  
  
"What happened to my father?"  
  
"He died trying to protect him and the colony. That's what I know."  
  
The colonel leaned his back beside the jail cell and sighed heavily, "What a same difference. The situation is very much like when we adopted Blitz. He was found without a name and was traumatized by the lost of his real parents, but he was never adopted by Prozen. The officer with my father narrowly escaped and presented him to my sister. I heard of a young boy being adopted by Prozen---but was definitely not him, it was you."  
  
His green eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward to the bars, dying to know, "How did that happen?"  
  
The colonel shook his head, "Well, they said that at that day, there are two brothers piloting a zoid. The older one, Karl---is preparing for a training program for the qualification exam for young cadets in the military academy, your parents are also following closely behind. You, are riding with him at the rear seat, and both of you have find your way to training by the wind colony. Then there was an attack of the imperial forces to claim a dark organoid near that area, and as they said, you and your brother were caught in the crossfire. He freed you from the rear area, and you made it---he didn't. Your parents didn't make it alive either."  
  
"Then why Prozen?"  
  
The dark onyx gaze turned to him, "Maybe you came across him some how. After all, learning that you are a Schubaltz and the only surviving one, he'd have taken it as an advantage that you're an imperial asset, and to raise you like his own and into a mad military genius---" he paused, "Sorry."  
  
"Why should you be sorry," he said bitterly, "---you know that I AM a mad military genius."  
  
"Don't lie." The colonel said so firmly that it even surprised himself. " You are not that Thomas. You are the Lieutenant Thomas of this guardian force. I believe in you."  
  
He looked at him in full surprise, "Why? How---"  
  
Van fished out the portable link from his pocket, and handed it to him. "This is yours right? I ordered some members of the crew to check the whole geno breaker. You are right, it has no link or whatsoever with it. Even the compiled data on your account 'here', does not say anything about an A.I. program called Beek."  
  
"Because instead, there is a SIMONE."  
  
"Well there is also another good reason," he continued. "Before I talked to you all about this, some of my men saw the wandering dark organoid. They captured it and sent it Lt. Blitz---imagine the surprised look at my brother's face when the organoid attempted to suck him in!"  
  
"Shadow?"  
  
"Well, he is your dark organoid here right?"  
  
"Yeah," he mumbled, /Probably, because I find myself also in a geno breaker/. "But in my world, he was---"  
  
"Raven's." The colonel pointed out, and moved off the wall. "Blitz is really freaked out afterwards, it took him at least several minutes before he can tackle down the organoid. It was the same one that killed his real parents and he thought it was going to kill him this time. He swore it sounded like it was crying when he kicked it in the neck, and it called him by that name---Raven."  
  
"I don't know he can understand organoids."  
  
"He has been hanging around with Zeke for sometime, so maybe he knows how organoids speak." He replied then adding, "Thomas, this is the second time someone called Blitz as Raven. It's much more than a coincidence. Plus, your story seems to justify what happened to him right now. So I believe you are telling the truth."  
  
"So you are going to help me find my way back?" there was hope in his voice, finally a person who believed in him.  
  
"Yes," he answered, "--and we need to find the other 'you' before it's too late."  
  
*****  
  
[Back to the 'other' world]  
  
Thomas scouted the whole area and managed to find the lieutenant clothes that Raven almost ditched, they were thrown off from the impact and he proceeded to change into them. He was tempted to take the geno breaker as well, /Hmm---it is not yet time. I will probably have to leave it there for a while,/ he thought and an objecting metallic grunt came from Shadow. He stroked the organoid's nose. "Of course not you silly, I'm not going to leave you again--- you know I have to do that so I can convince everyone."  
  
Convince everyone that he is the lieutenant that they knew when in fact he was not.  
  
After making the other version of himself 'disappear', he wasted no time installing his A.I. console into the Di Bison and getting rid of beek. His SIMONE is very much capable of anything he need to know, he hacked through the system files of both the imperial forces and the republican army, and downloaded all the information he would need. He learned that the war in Zi is over, he learned about the guardian force where he is one of the allied members. Van Flyheight is a lieutenant and not a colonel in this place, and was alongside with Fiona. He later learned that the blonde zoidian was also 'his' object of affection. He frowned at the thought, /I never liked zoidians, I am sick of having a couple of them in my own world now. / There is also Irvine and Moonbay, the spiky haired rogue to whom he destroyed the command wolf when SIMONE's over ran the system and the transporter girl who had the thick armored gustav. After scanning and looking up some personal information on them he grew even more annoyed in learning he is also their 'friends'.  
  
/I can't even bare the sight of them in my place, and now I have to put up like a sissy hanging around with them and working with them. But I have to- --/  
  
/---my brother is here with them, and I'm not going to lose him again this time./  
  
*****  
  
In a weeks time he became well versed with everyone's position, mannerisms and the goings on with the military in both sides. He prepared his own cover, acting out like what the 'other' Thomas would be like, and that means from time to time he has to be comical. He'd have to act brain dead when Fiona is around, or act jealous and arrogant when Van shows up, or argue endlessly with Irvine. They never seemed to question him, which was good.  
  
"Hey Thomas, what happened to beek?" Irvine once asked, upon noticing that he isn't wearing the portable link to his head.  
  
"Still intact," he replied crossly, not bothering to look up at him as he tinkered with some gadgetry and devices. "Why so?"  
  
Irvine gave him a strange look, "Ermm--No I mean the portable link on your head, it's like seeing you naked without it."  
  
"Because it is so annoying, I had to ditch it."  
  
"You've WHAT?"  
  
He then stood up, and leveled his gaze with Irvine. For the first time, the darker boy noticed that there was something very odd in Thomas' eyes, they seemed to coldly pierce him like shards of ice. Irvine stepped back,  
  
"Oh what do you know? I'm going to upgrade him to something far more superior than what that thick skull of yours could even understand, that's why!"  
  
Irvine gawked at him while he spoke and Thomas didn't care, he was getting tired of pretending. He offered an excuse, "I'm tired and I have to get some rest now. Leave me alone."  
  
"Hmm, I guess you'll be in a better mood if I told you Fiona would drop by and bring us some drinks for us here."  
  
He shook his hand gracelessly and turned back to gather up his work, "Then tell her I'm not thirsty, and I'm going away in a short while to the hangar area."  
  
Irvine jaw dropped, Thomas turning away Fiona? "But it's FIONA! You never missed an opportunity to be alone with Fiona!"  
  
"Well it's about time I give up then, I just realized how pathetic it was to pin away hopeless to a person who does not love me." He replied sardonically, "So would you mind, you're blocking my path."  
  
He didn't bother to wait for the other youth's reply and Thomas' shoulder hit Irvine roughly when he passed to Irvine's left side. "Shit Thomas! What's fucking wrong with you?"  
  
*****  
  
"Call me lieutenant, civilian." He mumbled, and proceeded farther into the hangar and then to his Di Bison. He looked cautiously around before he whispered, "You can come out now, shadow."  
  
Shadow let out a metallic roar and beamed out of the Di Bison and stood beside him, "Have you monitored SIMONE lately?"  
  
Shadow nodded with a low metallic purr, "What---you found Blitz? A version of Blitz in this world?" His green emerald eyes narrowed, disgust and rage fill him once again. Blitz. That lieutenant is a pain in the ass, skilled and unpredictable---fired with the constant passion to be the best his skill is the only one that could rival Flyheight's. Unlike the spiky haired one, Blitz's reason to strive to be the best pilot in Zi is to avenge the sudden untimely death of his real parents. He hates zoids and he always screamed it on the battlefield that---he hates punks who even think they can pilot them.  
  
And he even became more of a pain in the ass when he learned that Thomas owned the dark organoid that killed his loved ones.  
  
Placing himself at the cockpit, Thomas activated SIMONE. "You're a good boy, Shadow---so I wonder who he will be---" he glanced at the result of the data and frowned, seeing the very face of his enemy. /He didn't change at all---except the clothes---/  
  
"SIMONE close into the image." He ordered, and the computer, taking up a (hacked) satellite provided image of the youth resting by the desert cliffs came to view. It was the same gray hair, the pale features and the familiar red mark on the cheek. The only difference was he is wearing a dark and partially armored pilot suit---and he is with a geno breaker.  
  
"Where the fuck did he get one of those!" /There is only one geno-breaker and its mine! /  
  
"SIMONE, focus to the image even closer!"  
  
The person supposedly that is 'Blitz' is roaming around the area by the cliffs, he could see that the gray-haired pilot looks worried, sad and angry at the same time. All the emotions playing on his face, Thomas reached out andstroked the image at his monitor.  
  
/I could now imagine how wonderful Blitz would be with such sweet pain creased on his beautiful face---/  
  
The pilot on the monitor seems to contemplate whether to ride the geno breaker or not, he cried out, "Shadow! Where are you?"  
  
He listened closer to the audio, /Did I hear right---he called my dark organoid--/  
  
"Shadow! Dammit!" the gray haired pilot cried out once again, and a blue haired girl with her blue organoid specula came out of the view.  
  
/What is Reys doing with that punk, I wonder--/  
  
"Enough Raven, it would be useless searching for him now."  
  
"Who asked you?!" he bitterly replied, "I didn't ask you to help me---I can do this on my own!"  
  
/So---Blitz is Raven, eh?---/  
  
The blue haired zoidian muttered something incomprehensible in reply, and left Raven by the cliffs. As Thomas observed the whole incident all over in his monitor, he came in an assumption that this 'Raven' was the alternate version of who he was back in his own world, and vice-versa. Then a clever plan went into his mind.  
  
/Suppose---I capture 'Raven'? /  
  
After all, in this world he is the officer. It would be also a nice pay back---capturing Raven is also like capturing Blitz in his own twisted reason. Since the gray-haired boy is parallel in a way to himself, he could predict his moves and take him down even without using a zoid in the battlefield. He would rely on something far more superior than those punks, AND that is--- HE is smarter than the rest of them. There would be also much rewarding perks afterwards, he will get a rightful recognition for capturing the man that whole Zi wants, and beat Flyheight from it. He will gain more respect than before and earn their trust. He will rise through the ranks--  
  
And eventually, he will also get the acknowledgment he so deserves from his brother, Karl.  
  
Thomas wasted no time tracking enough important information on Raven, that in a matter of few weeks, he came up with a slow and deliberate plot to finally have Raven in his clutches. It will be a dangerous game, and by the time it's over, Raven/Blitz will be sorry that he was born.  
  
"Shadow, suppose you go and pretend to be his lost organoid?"  
  
*****  
  
/Gee, Tommy! You are not pretty shabby yourself!/ an emerald eye peeked out from the mop of ashen blonde hair to glance over the young Thomas,  
  
/Of course, I'm not! I'll be better than you someday!/ he recall saying those words, as he tried piloting his big brother's zoid. Karl was around 14 or so, and he was barely 10 at that time. The whole family is going to watch him practice near the wind colony for a pre-qualification in the military academy.  
  
/How could you be better?/ a teasing warm chuckle came, /When all you do is tinker with those toys of yours?/  
  
/They are not toys! They are my creations!/ he pouted, struggling behind the rear seat. His short sinewy child arms prevents him from reaching towards the pilot seat as Karl snatched the little mechanical device from his place, a cross between a radio, a disc player and a mechanical sharpener.  
  
/Hey, give it back! No fair!/  
  
/Just return the controls to the front seat, and I'll give this thingie whatchamacallit back! Whaddya say?/  
  
/All right! All right! Now gimme!/ he screamed, and moved back the controls to Karl's, and then instantly snatched back his little creation. He became quiet for a while, as Karl proceeds to move his zoid in an accelerating speed. With childish delight, he quickly forgot all about his gadget and peered through the window. He can't imagine that Karl could drive so smoothly and fast.  
  
/Wow, brother! You are REALLY cool!/  
  
/That's just the half of it--- watch this trick, Tommy!/ and with a simple pull in the controls, he sends the zoid leaping high to the air like it was flying. While in mid-air, he fired the ammo in a couple of big boulders along the way, clearing a bigger path for his soft landing. He remembered gawking and then cheering in delight. /That's awesome!!!--- can you do it again? /  
  
/Karl, stop that immediately!/ The com link opened at Karl's screen. It was their mother, sitting by the rear-seat, of their father's saber fang. She was scolding him, /That is not a good move, you are giving your younger brother bad ideas on piloting zoids!/  
  
He rolled his green eyes there goes another sermon. /Geez, mom! It's just a trick!/  
  
/Well that kind of 'trick' is not tolerable once you joined the academy. Your father and I have high hopes for you. Okay?/  
  
Karl sighed, /Okay--/  
  
/Son---/ It was their father's turn to talk now, an imperial army officer. He was hardly ever affectionate and his prime concern was that at least his eldest son, pride and joy Karl, would eventually follow his footsteps someday. /---remember this is the wind colony, a republican area. The tension between two sides are tight, so you should be careful out there./  
  
/Sure thing, dad!---/ the older man frowned, and Karl made a sigh, and then made a salute. /Understood. Colonel, sir!/  
  
And with that, their father signed off.  
  
/Gee, Dad's scary sometimes, ain't he?/ he squeaked, peeping out behind Karl's seat when the conversation is all over. /It's hard to imagine you becoming like dad, Karl. He really wants you to become an officer like he is. /  
  
/Well, I'm not like him./ Karl retorted, and then grinned, looking behind the seat so he can look straight to his brother's small blotchy face. /I'll be BETTER than him./  
  
/You'll not be harsh?/  
  
/Nope/  
  
/You'll not be barking orders all the time?/  
  
/Officers say orders but they don't yell all the time. But I'll try to be a reasonable one./ he said, his words firm and full of promise. /AND, by the time this war is over, I'll be an imperial colonel before I even turn 28! /  
  
But Thomas wasn't listening to him. The younger boy is staring out of the window. /Are you listening to me Tommy?/  
  
He pressed his nose close to the window, his green eyes widening in alarm. /Are those command wolves? What are they doing out there? /  
  
/Yes, they are from the----/ Karl was not able to finish his sentence, without warning, a heavy shell suddenly struck from behind them, shaking them in a sudden impact. Everything was in chaos. The air suddenly turned to pitch black with smoke and the color of reddish flames starting to lift up to the air. Several shells shattered again, and this time, there are more screams and more voices. Karl cursed as his zoid's system froze and it fell on its side upon impact. He heard some crying behind him, and noticed that Thomas was bleeding from the head, and that half-of his body was pinned down by the fallen and broken parts in the cockpit.  
  
Their monitor opened again, /Dad!/  
  
/Karl! Get out of there immediately! You are getting in the cross fire of the imperial army!/  
  
/What are they doing striking offensive at the republican area? / Karl cried, /Is this---/  
  
/It is none of your concern, Karl----just go!/ The screen flicked violently as another shell crashed near them, their father swore mildly, mumbling something about some nutcase attacking a republican area without proper notice. Karl cannot shake off the crying sound coming from behind, Tommy is really caught in a mess and that if another shell exploded, he'll get thrown off from the rear seat. Karl unlatched his seat buckles and turned around, helping his little brother trapped from behind.  
  
/Karl, what are you doing? You have to get out of there!/  
  
/I'm not leaving Thomas behind!/  
  
There came another blast, and the monitor shook violently once again. This time it had shut off for good. /Dad! Mom! Dammit!/  
  
And Thomas was still crying loudly, and another shell exploded above their heads. /Karl! I'm scared!/ he said in between sobs, /We're gonna die!/  
  
/No, you're not!/ He hissed, as he pulled the chunks of debris that have been pinning his younger brother. Ignoring his own gash at his right shoulder, he winced in pain as he pulled Tommy out of the rubble. The explosion caused some after shock, and the roof caved in, Karl then shoved Thomas off near the hole outside the cockpit before it pinned him down. /Go, Tommy! Run now!/  
  
/No! I'm not going to leave! You're stuck---/  
  
/Look, Tommy---you are small enough to get out of here! I trust you. Get some help! /  
  
/No! /  
  
Karl looked despairingly over at his stubborn little brother, despite the concussion at his forehead, the boy still refused to leave. And his stubbornness happens in all the wrong places. /Then do it for me, go have this----/  
  
He grabbed something from his breast pocket it is a small shiny badge from their father that was given to him as something like a family memorabilia. Thomas was always fascinated with it, but they won't let him touch it because he was always too young. Karl threw it into the air and as far as he could and it instantly caught the little boys attention.  
  
Thomas climbed out of the cockpit and out of the zoid and ran after it, catching it with his small hands. In a few minutes, he was thrown by a loud impact of spontaneous explosions. By the time he came to, he stared in horror as what remained of the two zoids---Karl's and his parents, are reduced to nothing but a pile of rubble and burning fire.  
  
It was so much a shock, that everything within him just went blank as he let out a soundless cry.  
  
--- Meanwhile,  
  
/Sir Prozen?/  
  
/Yes?/ The white haired man answered, the current situation in the wind colony cost a few fatalties, some civilians and annoying persistent bunch of republicans. Besides why would he care, when they already find the dark organoid?  
  
/There is a young kid out there riding a zoid---I think we need your help/  
  
/Can't you stop a puny kid? /  
  
/Not really sir---we downed him--but/  
  
The white haired officer was irritated and didn't wait for an answer as he made haste out of his jeep, He saw a small heap of smoke and a group of his soldiers gathering about it in the small area where lay an Iron Kong MK II laying down the center and it looks like it's cockpit was blasted off. Surrounding the zoid are three green horns that are all but working. Giving it a quick run down, he noticed that all the knocked-out cold green horns were strategically hit on a particular weak spot.  
  
/You say a kid did this? /  
  
/Yes sir, and he is still in the cockpit. / the soldier paused, /No one could drive an Iron Kong MK II from the republic not unless---/  
  
/There are some civilians casualties some of them I heard are from the empire. Must have been an angry survivor./ he replied abruptly, Prozen made his way at the small crowd of soldiers who instantly paved their way for him. They all seem to be reluctant to go inside the broken Iron Kong. By the time he pressed towards it, he was quite surprised on what he saw. He expected to see a young teen in it, and he find crumpled by the cockpit is a tiny wisp of a boy with dark blonde messy hair that is barely even 12. He noticed that he has fierce, mad angry green eyes and that blood is trickling in an open head wound. He was clutching a gun on both hands and is aiming frantically to anyone who goes near him.  
  
/This is the boy?/ He nearly laughed, /What are you all afraid at?/ with those words, he quickly grabbed the boy easily in both fists, disarming the gun from his grip. The boy cried and let out a howl, struggling to regain the possession.  
  
Prozen threw him down to the ground so the boy would calm down. /You there,/ He barked, /Do you have a name, little kid?/  
  
That moment the boy became silent, and stared at him---/My---my name? I don't know. /  
  
/I think he is in shock,/ another officer remarked, /poor kid, must have been pa---/ the voice trailed off, and the officer gave a quick run down over the young boy, and then gaped. /Goodness, Prozen! That must be Schubaltz's little boy!/  
  
/Are you sure? Then does that mean the civilian casualties are----damn! Are you even sure about that officer?/  
  
The officer nodded mutely, and pointed out. The kid is holding something closely against his chest and Prozen inspected it a little closer. The boy flinched when he touched it, /No! /  
  
/Where did you get this kid? This is the imperial in----/  
  
/My father!/ he cried, /He gave it to Karl!/  
  
Prozen is sure he heard of the name, Karl is the eldest son who had the making of a promising military officer. He now believed that the Schubaltzes were on of the accidental casualties. If this young one knew that the imperial forces accidentally killed his family, it would ruin his ambition. But then again---he can take advantage of it.  
  
/You killed him! You killed my brother! I hate you!/ The boy cried angrily, charging to the older man, pounding his small fists helplessly to his legs. It was useless, and with one swipe, Prozen knocked him to the ground and sent him crashing down against side of the Iron Kong. The other soldiers and officers froze, not knowing whether to be angry with their superior officer or help the boy.  
  
/Damn it, Prozen! He is just a kid. That is Schubaltz's youngest boy! He is the only one that survived the damn attack!/  
  
/Suppose I adopt him?/  
  
/What?/  
  
/His whole family is dead, and if there is anyone who will be responsible about this matter, it would be me. I think I'll take him in/ and with a hidden malevolent smile, he continued. /Besides, their family has long been intensely royal to the crown for more than 40 years---I'll be more than 'honored' to raise little Thomas here as my son. /  
  
The boy sat up and stared at him widely, /That's right. Your name is Thomas. That's what your father called you. Will you mind if I can call you Tommy? /  
  
He quizzically stared at this strange adult, the name indeed has a familiar ring to it. /Yeah---/  
  
/Well, Tommy---/ Prozen kneeled close to him, so both of their faces are nearly both in level to each other. /Can you tell me how you managed to run the Iron Kong and still freeze all those green horns? /  
  
Thomas spouted words that he thought would sound rather insignificant to the adults, but Prozen and the others listen closely and became impressed. Even the funny-haired female officer behind him looked surprised. Prozen turned to the woman, /You know---with a knowledge like that, we could first teach him how to protect himself---/  
  
*****  
  
Mission accomplished  
  
Thomas trampled off the woods, leaving Raven's geno breaker behind. The zoid is pretty useless without SIMONE in it. He should get back his gear and ride back that Di Bison, and he called shadow to quickly mobilize with it. It's been sometime since he and shadow have been together, the dark organoid pretended to be Raven's but in the end, it only drew the gray- haired mercenary into a trap. He believed it was actually his own Shadow.  
  
And he also foolishly believed that he was a harmless man called Lt. Thomas Schubaltz.  
  
"Well he is damned wrong,"  
  
The place slowly burned down to the ground, billows of smoke tainted the snowy mountain caps and the peaceful serene morning air. The moment the Di Bison appeared few feet away from him and he hastily got into it and opened his com link. It's was time to reap his own reward---  
  
"This is Lt. Thomas Schubaltz, I request for back up. I have captured Raven."  
  
  
  
!-continued-! 


	6. NOTICE

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:  
  
Umm---sorry? I know you fan readers out there are expecting an update--- that's why I'm posting right now. I'm here to say that I'm NOT discontinuing this title. My thesis proposal in the university I'm in is bummed up, that I have to make preparations as early of now if I want to graduate. I can't split my concentration to my other titles either, so currently right now, I'm concentrating on 'Damn I wish I was your lover' which will hopefully be finished by the end of the month. If I get my school papers straightened out, the roughest estimate for the other updates is HOPEFULLY early May.  
  
Till then,  
  
Her_Malevolence_RaVen0us 


End file.
